Barred by GU, prints papers of 5 varsities

GSSSB EXAM PAPER LEAK

Barred by GU, prints papers of 5 varsities

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:25.12.2021

The role of Surya Offset, an Ahmedabadbased printing press, has come police radar for its role in alleged leak of question papers in the state government exam for recruitment of head clerks. The press that was mired in controversy in the past too with Gujarat University blacklisting it in 2004-05, was printing papers for about five universities in the state including Saurashtra University and a university in Bhavnagar, according to sources in the education department.

The exam, held for the recruitment of head clerks on December 12 by the Gujarat Subordinate Service Selection Board (GSSSB) where nearly 88,000 aspirants had taken the test, was annulled after the paper leak episode came to light.

Also, the question paper for third semester BCom economics exam for Saurashtra University that was allegedly leaked earlier this week, was also printed at Surya Offset, according to sources.

“The printing press has been blacklisted in the past by Gujarat University after a paper leak scam came to light in 2004-05. The investigating team had pointed at the printing press’ role in the alleged leak back then. As a result, Gujarat University blacklisted the press,” said a former vice-chancellor of the university.

The paper was leaked for a final year BCom examination in 2004-05 academic year.

“One of the promoters of the printing press has served jail term for his alleged involvement in an exam paper scam,” he further said.

Chief minister to inaugurate Tambaram, Avadi police commissionerates on Jan 1

Chief minister to inaugurate Tambaram, Avadi police commissionerates on Jan 1

Selvaraj.A@timesgroup.com

Chennai:25.12.2021

Chief minister M K Stalin will inaugurate newly created Tambaram and Avadi commisssionerates on January 1.

The commissionerates are finalised after several rounds of discussions with a high-level committee comprising senior police officers including DGP C Sylendra Babu, chief secretary, home secretary, finance secretary.

As per the tentatively finalised structure, each commissioner will be in the rank of additional director-general of police (ADGP). Apart from him, two joint commissioners of police (JCoPs), and five deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) will also be there.

Each commissionerate will have two police districts within its jurisdiction. For instance, Tambaram commissionerate will have Pallikaranai and Tambaram police districts headed by DCPs. The armed reserve and motor transport will have a DCP, central crime branch will have a separate DCP, and the city intelligence unit will be manned by one DCP. Likewise, in Avadi commissionerate, Red Hills and Avadi will be have separate DCPs. There will also be three other DCPs for armed reserve wing and motor transport, central crime branch (CCB), and city intelligence unit.

In the two commissionerates, there will be at least nine new police stations and six new sub-divisions.

The Tambaram commissionerate is set up at a fourstorey private building near the Sholinganallur traffic junction. Special officercum-commissioner of police M Ravi has identified a fiveacre government land near Outer Ring Road (ORR) near Tambaram. The new building for the commissionerate will come up there soon.

The Avadi commissionerate is set up at a four-storey building belonging to the state disaster rescue force opposite near Avadi bus terminus. Special officer-cumcommissioner of police Sandeep Rai Rathore has also identified another piece of government land closer to the ORR to build a permanent structure for the commissionerate.

On September 13, Stalin in the state assembly announced two new commissionerates would be created. Later on October 1, the government issued a separate order notifying M Ravi as the special officer for the Tambaram commissionerate and Sandeep Rai Rathore as the special officer for the Avadi commissionerate.

Train cancellations trip travel plans of many

Train cancellations trip travel plans of many

Services Hit As Bridge Built In British Era Develops Crack

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.12.2021

Holiday travel plans of several people went for a toss after Southern Railway cancelled many trains from Chennai to Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Mangalore, Vellore, Mettupalayam, Erode, Yelagiri, Thiruvananthapuram on Christmas eve after a bridge on Arakkonam-Katpadi section developed a crack on one of its pillars.

The trains will be suspended till Sunday as repairs to the British-era bridge built in 1865 across Ponnai River are likely to take more time.

The disruption has come at a time when the services were fully booked for weekend travel. More than 20,000 passengers are likely to be affected because of the disruption.

As people searched for alternative options, air fare touched ₹9,000 to ₹11,000 to Kochi, ₹8,200 to Thiruvananthapuram, ₹3,500 to ₹9,000 to Bengaluru and ₹3,500 to ₹9,500 to Coimbatore for travel today (December 25).

Railways had sent out messages of cancellations and diversions to those who booked tickets online.

"The recent cyclones that hit Tamil Nadu in November 2021 and the resultant floods caused havoc to the bridge. A technical expert team from Structural Engineering Research Center (SERC-CSIR) along with railway engineers inspected the bridge to find ways to repair it at the earliest", said an official release.

Public univs in Maha may now have a super vice-chancellor

Public univs in Maha may now have a super vice-chancellor

Hemali.Chhapia@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:25.12.2021

Maharashtra’s public universities may now have a super vice-chancellor. In a blow to the autonomy of varsities, the state government on Friday tabled amendments to the Maharashtra Public Universities Act to introduce the post of a prochancellor which will be occupied by minister of higher and technical education.

The pro-chancellor’s powers are to be wide ranging: from chairing the university's senate, its high-level decision-making body to presiding over the convocation ceremony in absence of the chancellor. TOI has access to a copy of the draft bill which was tabled in the upper house.

The state has also proposed altering the selection method of the vice-chancellor. The plan has been roundly criticised by academicians.

“The concept of autonomous universities was given by the Britishers. Under that the VC is the head of the institution and no one can enter the campus or interfere in its functioning. The chancellor is expected to save the university from the influence of the state government or politics. That freedom should not be taken away. We are facing a conflicting situation,” said ex-vice-chancellor of Pune University Ram Takawle.

Half of tested Omicron cases had 2 doses: ICMR

Half of tested Omicron cases had 2 doses: ICMR

Several States announce night curfew

25/12/2021

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI

With India identifying nearly 358 cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, an analysis of 183 of them by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found that nearly half of them were fully vaccinated. A little over a quarter had no international travel history but had likely come into contact with those infected. None of those evaluated had severe symptoms, with close to 73% being asymptomatic. Of them, 60% were men.

This was disclosed by the Health Ministry on Friday.

Of the 17 States where the variant has been confirmed, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have announced night curfews.

Night curfew imposed in Maharashtra from today

Night curfew imposed in Maharashtra from today

Curbs on number of people in gyms and restaurants

25/12/2021

People shopping at a market in Bandra, Mumbai, on Friday.PTIPTI

Staff Reporter Mumbai

Maharashtra has announced night curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning December 25 in view of rising number of COVID-19 cases. This was announced by the State's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab in the Assembly on Friday.

Flight services to Singapore from Dec. 29

Flight services to Singapore from Dec. 29

25/12/2021

Staff ReporterCoimbatore

Direct flight services from Coimbatore International Airport to Singapore will commence from December 29 under the air bubble arrangement, Airport Director S. Senthil Valavan said here on Friday.

Singaporean budget carrier Scoot Airlines will operate three flights per week to the Changi Airport in Singapore from the Coimbatore International Airport, he said.

The flights will arrive in Coimbatore Airport at 10.45 p.m. and will depart to Singapore at 11.45 p.m. from December 29.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation recently approved the air bubble arrangement between Coimbatore and Singapore, Mr. Valavan said.

The only other approved air bubble route from Coimbatore Airport that is available is between Coimbatore and Sharjah International Airport, the Airport Director said.

Air bubble flights are an arrangement made between two countries to allow air travel as regular international flights remain suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.